Jack Johnson - On And On
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Free Music Notes for On And On
Free Music Review: The ultimate chill-out album...
Hit: 5 Stars
Having never heard a single song from his acclaimed debut, "Brushfire Fairytales", I as a reviewer can make no intelligent comment about how Jack Johnson's latest, "On and On" sounds similar. Personally, considering how excellent this disc is, I can't imagine this being a bad thing. Familiar sounding or not, On and On is an excellent, consistent album. Jack Johnson is not what I would typically pick up, nor is his laid back Bob Marley-like vibe a quality I often seek out in my music. But as someone who tries to give any artist a chance, Jack Johnson seems as worthy as anyone to capture my listening ear. And capture my ear he does, with sixteen tracks that echo of simplicity and pleasant sunrises. Each song features light, jazzy acoustic guitar rhythms and Johnson's sincere, calm vocals, helping each one flow gently and effortlessly into the other, like the ebb and flow of tides on the beach.
But Jack Johnson's not just another Bob Marley come lately. Like Marley, Johnson has another trick up his sleeve - he has something to say as well. You'd have to scour the lyric book to notice them, but buried beneath the laid-back melodies is commentary championing simplicity, conservationism, basic kindness, and challenging the media, SUV culture, and materialism outright. It's not quite Thoreau with a guitar, or even "Get Up, Stand Up" but you'd have to be really close-minded to not get swept up in these grooves.
The ultimate musical treatise for simplicity and quiet activism, "On and On" is absolutely essential listening for warm summer days, driving across the country, and simplifying. If this album can't help you relax, you had better see a doctor.
Free Music Review: Blissful
Hit: 5 Stars
I don't know if there's a single CD I own that flows so effortlessly from one topic to another, weaving them all so seamlessly with a sound that doesn't wear out its welcome. Not only that, but it's not dank and dreary, but stays upbeat. I feel Jack Johnson's personality is shining through 100% of this CD. An interview I read with him just radiated with easy, laid-back, 'take it as it comes' sensibility. He seems like a guy who would be fun to hang out with, to pick around on a guitar, go surfing, or just have some lunch. Similarly, the songs on this CD seem to fit with any of the above environments.
The only negative I could find with this CD is it may be touchy to play as background music. To a casual observer not really listening, they may say (as they did in my case) , "wow, hasn't this song been playing for a long time?" That may be because almost all songs consist of Johnson's guitar and drums, with a backup singer or second guitar sprinkled in every so often. However, if you like the sample songs you hear from this CD, you'll absolutely love to hear the album in its entirety.
I personally love his style, and was saddened to see some magazine critics pan his work as being too ordinary, boring, or similar to his last album. I prefer the sound of this album to Brushfire Fairytales, simply because it's more stripped down, seemingly devoid of studio touch-ups... though there must be a few, since everything sounds so pristine.
This is right up there on my list of albums I'd have if stuck on a desert island. Johnson would approve, and would be right there with his surfboard and guitar.
Free Music Review: Maybe an extension of Brushfire, but listen
Hit: 5 Stars
Every once in a while there is an outlet from "mainstream" music, and this is one of them. The same type of outlet that Nirvana provided in the 90's. Their music didn't change much stylistically through each album. For those of you who say that this is just more of the same from the first album release, consider that when you are an artist, if you have been playing for a while, you have more material than you could publish at one time. Most of the songs that appear on this album probably could have shown up on Brushfire. Look at 10,000 Maniacs...first album was polished and over-produced (to them), but people ate it up. Ms. Merchant hated it. As she branched out, her music became her own, but not too far from center. I think that Jack might be in the same instance although I think that the music and the prodcution are his influence, so while the first cd (I think I dated myself later with my album reference) was more polished to get radio buy-in, I think that it is safe to say this is a transition cd for him and the band. They have a lot of talent, and many different things that they can try in the future. The album grows on you over time. You'll notice centrally themed songs, but once you let it go it becomes like an early Beatles album..just good listening. Anyway, it is a nice break if you like to mix up your musical styles. And if you get the chance, see him live...you'll appriciate it more. The last two songs on the cd seal the deal for me. I think that it is a great piece of work!Free Music Review: Smooth, Intoxicating, and Down Right Incredible
Hit: 5 Stars
When compared to JJ's debut album Brushfire Fairtales, On and On is very mellow. But, that is what JJ is all about. Tracks like "Traffic In the Sky" grip you when you think about it's meaning. "Cookie Jar" chills you to the bone. JJ shows his writing talent on this intoxicating album of 16 tracks. JJ flows words together to give his listner a mental image of what he's saying. His lyrics are fresh and soothing. On and On is set up much the same as BFFT. The opening track is "Times Like These" (this song sets up the listener for the entire album, it describes what it disk is about.) On BFFT, JJ did the same thing with "Inaudible Melodies" (He set up the listener.) Many people try to compare On and On with BFFT, however, you simply cannot do so. On and On is a set of different experiences completly in the life of JJ. The best thing about it is how smoothly it takes us from track to track. And JJ keeps the same style and structure of his songs that he did on his first album. He adds more digital effects to the songs as the CD progresses. But, by far what will make this album enjoyable for any listener, is the final song "Symbol in My Driveway". Not only is the meaning deep and touching...but, it's recorded outside, by the ocean in Hawaii! This gives the listener a glimpse into the life of the artist, JJ. By giving music fans clean, beautiful, and tasteful songs, Jack Johnson will continue to shine as a terriffic song writer. Enjoy!Free Music Review: Great, but not as good as Brushfire Fairytales
Hit: 5 Stars
After Brushfire Fairytales, Jack Johnson has rapidly integrated himself into a list of my favorite artists, which include Dave Matthews and other such performers. I had been counting down the days until this Cd came out and I bought it the morning it came out. The CD is great. It is more mellow than his first release. The music is great. Jack is great ont he guitar and some of the beats the three performers create are fantastic. The only place that it falls short in is the song-writing. The lyrics aren't as great as they were on his first album. Several songs, such as "Cookie Jar" stand out for lyrical meaning, but songs like "The Horizon had been Defeated," while fun to listen to, lack mosr dpeth in the lyrics and it reaches a state of funkiness with lyrics like "thingamajigsaw puzzle." This isn't a bad thing though. Th album is very enjoyable to listen to and I would reccomend it to anyone who wants a good CD to chill to. Some standout songs include "Taylor," "Wasting Time," "Rodeo Clowns" and "Mediocre Bad Guys." In all, this CD is much more mellow than "Brushfire fairytales" and the music is much more intoxicating, but the lyrics don't pack as much of a punch as they did on "Brushfire Fairytales." It is still a great album by an artist who is sure to evolve into a favorite among many.